MUT Youth e-newsletter Daħla

Ħarġa numru 5 – Lulju 2014
Maħruġa mis-sezzjoni MUT Youth tal-Malta Union of Teachers – kuntatt: [email protected] – www.mut.org.mt
MUT Youth e-newsletter
Daħla
Justin Schembri, Ċerpersin MUT Youth Section
Huwa ta’ sodifazzjon kbir għalija li qiegħed
nikteb din id-daħla bħala Ċerpersin tal-Kumitat
tal-Youths fi ħdan il-MUT. Huwa ta’ sodisfazzjon
ikbar iżda, li dal-Kumitat, għal dawn it-tliet snin
li ġejjin huwa ffurmat minn tmien membri,
grupp tassew sabiħ li jikkonferma l-impenn tażżgħażagħ lejn il-futur tagħhom.
Sounds of Diversity and Culture
Sounds of Diversity and Culture huwa r-ritratt rebbieħ tal-MUT Youth Section Photographic
Competition Unite for Quality Education. It-tema tal-kompetizzjoni hija parti mill-kampanja
globali tal-Education International għall-2014. Ir-ritratt ta’ Mario Cucciardi ġie vvutat bħala laħjar wieħed minn panel ta’ ġurati ffurmat minn Tonio Polidano, Erin Portelli u l-membri talMUT Youth Section. Waqt preżentazzjoni li saret fit-Teacher’s Institute nhar il-11 ta’ Ġunju
2014, il-Youth Committee feraħ lil Cucciardi u fisser kif inizjattiva bħal din toffri opportunità lilledukaturi sabiex juru t-talenti tagħhom. Ir-ritratt Educating through the paths of Nature ta’
Mario Cucciardi wkoll ikklassifika fit-tieni post waqt li Quality Teaching ta’ Anthony Caruana ġie
vvutat fit-tielet post. Ir-ritratti kollha jinsabu fuq il-paġna tal-facebook tas-sezzjoni:
https://www.facebook.com/MUTYouthSection
Dal-Kumitat kellu struttura u bażi lesta li fuqha
seta’ jibda jaħdem, grazzi għall-ewwel term talYouth Section li saħħaħ Kumitat li kien ġdid u
mingħajr l-esperjenza meħtieġa. Minħabba
f’hekk, f’dawn l-ewwel erba’ ġimgħat tal-MUT
Youth Section, nista’ ngħid li tellajna ħafna
xogħol, liema xogħol ma kienx ikun possibbli li
kieku jiena ma ġibtx miegħi sentejn esperjenza
mill-Kumitat ta’ qabel. Minkejja li l-membri loħra tal-Kumitat huma relattivament ġodda
għal dinja trejdjunjonistika, irrid ngħid li lkoll
huma żgħażagħ li jridu jwettqu l-viżjoni l-ġdida
tal-Unjin. L-aktar ħaġa li laqtitni f’dal-Kumitat
hija l-enerġija pro-attiva li għandu; enerġija li
ma għandix dubju ser tagħtih l-opportunità li
jkun suċċess.
Matul dan it-term, irrid li l-MUT Youth Section
isaħħaħ ir-relazzjoni ma’ organizzazzjonijiet ta’
żgħażagħ oħra iżda fuq kollox, magħkom ledukaturi żgħażagħ. Huwa għalhekk, li din innewsletter ser tkun qiegħda tintbagħat kull
xahar u mhux kull term skolastiku. Nittama li
permezz ta’ hekk, inkunu nistgħu nikkomunikaw
aktar u nżommu relazzjoni kontinwa bejnietna.
Irrid nirringrazzja lis-Senior Vice President
Marco Bonnici u lill-Communications Officer
Antonio Olivari tas-sapport kontinwu li jagħtu
lis-sezzjoni. Nirringrazzja wkoll lill-membri eletti
fil-Kumitat tal-Youths għall-fiduċja li tawni
sabiex niċċerja dal-Kumitat. Nemmen li flimkien
nistgħu negħlbu l-isfidi kollha li kull Sezzjoni
Żagħżugħa tal-Unjins Maltin taffaċċja.
“...l-isbuħija tal-koeżistenza f’soċjetà multikulturali li hija miftuħa għal kull tip
ta’ diversità”
Mario Cucciardi fisser xogħlu hekk: Kull biċċa xogħol artistika kemm jekk hi kitba, tpinġija jew
il-bqija, ladarba taħkem is-sensi tal-bniedem, kapaċi titwaħħad mar-ruħ u l-ispirtu ta’ kull min
b’xi mod jew ieħor jesperjenzaha. Ma għandix dubju li l-fotografija kapaċi twettaq dan isseħer. Ir-ritratt bl-isem ta’ Sounds of Diversity and Culture huwa frott ta’ esperjenza edukattiva
fejn fih ifisser l-isbuħija tal-koeżistenza f’soċjetà multikulturali li hija miftuħa għal kull tip ta’
diversità. Fi żmien u era fejn kull bniedem jissielet għad-drittijiet u għajxien uman xieraq u
ġust, dan ir-ritratt irid iwassal messaġġ edukattiv u ta’ kuraġġ u fejn il-mogħdrija, it-tolleranza u
r-rispett huma possibbli biss, kemm-il darba nagħrfu u nifhmu s-sitwazzjonijiet kemm iebsa kif
ukoll sbieħ ta’ xulxin. Meta naslu għal dan il-punt, naslu biex nifhmu tassew it-tifsira tatterminu Interkulturaliżmu li l-għan tiegħu hu li nistagħnew u nitgħallmu mill-kulturi ta’ xulxin.
Il-kuluri varji, l-individwi differenti, l-ambjent edukattiv u l-istrument tal-jembe li jsawwar dan
ir-ritratt, weħidhom ma jfissru xejn. Flimkien jagħmlu ritratt b’messaġġ li jgħaqqad sabiex ilkoll
nifhmuh bis-serjetà.
Agħfas fuq l-indirizzi biex
tidħol fil-paġni tal-MUT:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/mutgroup/
https://twitter.com/MaltaMUT
http://www.youtube.com/MUTcampaigns
http://edcommut.blogspot.com/
Il-Kumitat il-ġdid talMUT Youth Section
F’Ġunju tal-2014, il-membri tal-MUT
eleġew il-Youth Section tal-Unjin. IlKumitat il-ġdid għandu jservi għat-tliet snin
li ġejjin.
At the Touch of a Screen:
The Use of Tablet PCs in Classrooms
Gilbert Zahra
Initial Thoughts
Tablet computers are portable computers which can include a variety of features. I have used mine
in the classroom as a camera, timer, calculator, agenda, lightweight version of my notes, and
interactive periodic table. But, what implications would their introduction in primary and
secondary school classrooms, in the hands of all students and teachers, carry?
Starting with the obvious, the availability of e-books significantly reduces the weight that students
have to carry (for people who like to read from electronic media). Some students may also opt to
use a diary or calendar on the device, significantly reducing paper use. However, if limited to such
uses, this costly change would be of minimal impact on current educational practice.
Is-sezzjoni
tidentifika
lill-edukaturi
żgħażagħ bħala l-qofol tagħha, iżda fl-istess
waqt tassigura li l-kwistjonijiet u l-ħteġijiet
tagħhom huma riflessi fit-teħid taddeċiżjonijiet. L-għan tal-Youth Committee
huwa li joħloq inizjattivi, proġetti u
attivitajiet diversi li jimmotivaw il-membri
żgħażagħ sabiex isiru dejjem aktar parti
integrali fid-dimensjoni trejdjunjonistika li
l-Youth Section tħaddan. Bħala Kumitat,
jinkoraġġixxi sabiex jitressqu ‘l quddiem
ċerti suġġetti li jeħtiġilhom ikunu diskussi
waqt li jiġu identifikati oħrajn li jistgħu
jkunu ta’ benefiċċju għall-gradi kollha li
jaqgħu taħt ir-rappreżentazzjoni tal-MUT.
Il-MUT Youth Section preżentament huwa
kompost minn 8 membri: Justin Schembri –
Ċerpersin, Dirk Muscat – Deputat
Ċerpersin, Sandra Gauci – Segretarja,
Gilbert Zahra – Kordinatur, Ian Parnis,
Karen Haber, Ryan Zarb u Ian Coleiro.
Students are rarely asked how they learn best with the assumption being that they cannot decide
for themselves (Hanrahan, 2002). However, one such research by Goldenberg (2011:55) suggests
that students, though appreciating the use of modern technology, respond more positively “to
learning environments and current technologies that encourage them to ask questions, be curious,
use evidence, and explain their thinking – in other words, to think scientifically”. Nevertheless,
some technology runs the risk of being teacher-centred (ibid). The cases of the projector, the
PowerPoint presentation and the interactive whiteboard come to mind: Has replacing the
blackboard with the interactive whiteboard significantly changed education?
Documented Practices
Technology is not necessarily positive: A country can be technologically advanced yet humanely
barbaric (Ferrarotti, 2011). The introduction of tablets will only be positive if used effectively by
teachers and students. For example, their use has been shown to help autistic children better their
speaking skills (Munoz, 2014). Tablets also have the option of adding a keyboard which significantly
increases the speed of taking notes. However, this is not risk-free as research suggests that when
students have faster means of writing, they become less selective of what to write (Mueller &
Oppenheimer, 2014 in ScienceDaily, 2014). This reduced selectivity means that knowledge
bypasses working memory, note-taking is reduced to “mindless transcription”, and, as a result,
conceptual learning is hindered (ibid). Should education go this way?
(continued on page 3)
AWGURI mill-MUT Youth Section
Ikteb fil-ħarġa li jmiss!
Il-membri tal-Kumitat MUT Youth Section nixtiequ nawguraw lill-istudenti
universitarji li għadhom kemm temmew b’suċċess il-korsijiet li jwassluhom
għall-professjoni ta’ għalliema. Nittamaw li matul ix-xhur li ġejjin inkomplu
nsaħħu r-relazzjoni bejn l-NQTs u l-MUT Youth Section sabiex inkomplu
nissaħħu bħala Unjin. Is-sezzjoni ser tkun qed torganizza laqgħa informattiva
għall-NQTs fil-bidu tas-sena skolastika li jmiss. Id-data ta’ din il-laqgħa
titħabbar fil-ħarġa tal-e-newsletter ta’ Settembru.
Il-MUT Youth Section nixtiequ ninfurmaw lill-qarrejja li l-ħarġa
li jmiss ser toħroġ f’Settembru minħabba l-waqfa tas-sajf.
Dawk kollha li huma interessati jikkontribwixxu fin-newsletter
tal-MUT Youth Section jistgħu jikkuntattjaw lill-Kumitat fuq
[email protected] jew permezz tal-facebook. Inħeġġukom
tikkontribwixxu sabiex inkomplu nsaħħu leħen l-għalliema
żgħażagħ.
Towards a Youth dimension
Justin Schembri, Chairperson MUT Youth Section
Youths are rarely active in Trade-Unions. This is a fact not many can deny. Trade-Unionism is tremendously
perceived as a thing for the ‘mature’, or rather, more mistakenly, for the ‘old’. This insight is merely an
underling statement sustained by the perception of Union members in Malta, nothing more, nothing less. It is a
detriment for the direct involvement of youths in a Trade-Union as numerous young employees are unaware of
the potential that they themselves have in the Union that represents them.
Since my involvement in the youth section of the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT), I have encountered various
members who are in line with the Union’s decisions and assessments, but choose to keep their involvement in
the Union to nothing beyond that. Their lack of participation is down to many factors. However, one could
argue that members are not taking an active role because they feel safe that someone else is doing the job.
This is typical of the culturally passive. However, I believe it is imperative that we do not rely too much on
others.
(continued on page 3)
(Continued...) At the Touch of a Screen: The Use of Tablet PCs in Classrooms
For Sneller (2007), the experience with a class where all members had tablets was positive for a
variety of reasons:
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
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
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Technology offers a means of better maintained communication, inside and outside the
classroom (e-mails, Facebook groups, blogs). Students can pose questions before class and the
teacher can use these to aid planning;
Calendar applications can be used to remind students of due dates;
Students can follow presentations and add notes directly onto them, or the teacher can add
notes on the presentation and these be automatically updated on the students’ devices;
Written assignments can be composed virtually and corrected with Microsoft Word’s track
changes option (This would decrease, the time needed to collect work; the load of copybooks or
files that a teacher has to carry; and the inconvenience caused by students being absent);
The teacher can prepare quizzes that are automatically marked (this would save time needed to
correct tests of a certain nature and also provide more immediate feedback to students about
their learning);
Tablets provide the possibility to do in-class research over the internet;
Students can store data and convert it to graphical representations using software like Microsoft
Excel.
(Continued...) Towards a Youth
dimension
Addressing such a complex matter is
never easy, and will never be, but it
remains the prerogative of the MUT
Youth Section. While this term’s Youth
Section has significantly increased in
members, it remains committed to
reaping the efforts of the previous team.
The foundations laid in preceding years
have brought the Committee’s organs to
life. The Youth Committee, back then
faced the tough task of setting up a
Section that had barely any structure.
Consequently, the new Committee can
build on what has been achieved,
especially since there is a direct link
between this Committee and the
previous one through myself.
After serving in the Youth Section as
Deputy Chairperson to outgoing Chris
Vella, who is now a member of the
General Council, I was happy to be
appointed as Chairperson for the new
group. This new Committee brings about
change, but more importantly energy,
enthusiasm and a youthful dimension
that challenges young members’
sometimes dire perception of the Union.
Queries
Needless to say, the use of tablets is dependent on the software available, which can be educational
or not. Who will select this software? Will teachers be involved in such a choice? Will students be
allowed to download additional software?
Even though at university level, all students in Sneller’s class were given a course on how to use the
related software. Thus, the question goes, how will our students – who are younger – be prepared to
effectively use such tools? Are we assuming universal computer literacy? Will training be the
responsibility of a teacher or of all teachers? What are the logistics of this in a compartmentalised (in
terms of subjects) secondary school?
While for Sneller (2007) “Learning something new or instituting change is, of course, bound to be
frustrating at times, (…) overall, (… the use of tablets) proved to be a sound choice”, it is us teachers
who have the determining step in transforming the school curriculum to be interpreted by students
(Alexander, 2001). If we do not share the philosophy of the project, any reform is bound to fail
(Millar, 2008). Reform is best when teachers work together (Anderson, 2002) and I invite educators
to think of ways of improving education by using – where appropriate (let us not be over-reliant) –
such tool. However, I also invite policy makers to treat teachers as professionals who have the
capacity to decide, and not as technicians who simply follow their guidelines (Goodson, 2013).
References
Alexander, R. (2001). Culture and Pedagogy: International Comparison in Primary Education. 9th Edition (2011). Oxford: Blackwell
Publishing.
Anderson, R. D. (2002). Reforming Science Teaching: What Research says about Inquiry. Journal of Science Teacher Education,
13(1), 1-12. Retrieved from http://uhu.es/gaiainm/invest_escolar/httpdocs/biblioteca_pdf/2_Anderson,R%5B1%5D.D.(2002)Inquiry.pdf
Association for Psychological Science (2014, Apr 24). Take notes by hand for better long-term comprehension. Science Daily.
Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140424102837.htm
Ferrarotti, F. (2011). The Educated Person and the new Capitalism: A Euro-Mediterranean Reflection. In: R. G. Sultana (Ed)
Educators of the Mediterranean: Up Close and Personal (pp.209-221). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Goldenberg, L. B. (2011). What students really want in science class: The importance of good teaching practices – with and
without technology. The Science Teacher, 78(6), 52-55.
Hanrahan, M. U. (2002, July). Learning Science: Revisiting Humanist Dimensions of Intellectual Engagement. Paper presented at
Australasian Science Education Research Association, Townsville, Qld, Australia. Retrieved from
http://eprints.qut.edu.au/1896/1/1896.pdf
Millar, R. (2008). Taking Scientific Literacy Seriously as a Curriculum Aim. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching,
9(2), 1-18. Retrieved from http://www.ied.edu.hk/apfslt/download/v9_issue2_files/
Munoz, G. (2014, Jul 7). iPads may help kids with autism develop communication skills. Science Alert. Retrieved from
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20140707-25830.html
Sneller, J. (2007, October). The tablet PC classroom: Erasing borders, stimulating activity, enhancing communication. Paper
presented in Frontiers In Education Conference - Global Engineering: Knowledge Without Borders, Opportunities Without
Passports, 2007, Milwauke, WI. DOI: 10.1109/FIE.2007.4417929
The new Youth Committee strives to
bring to life the organisation of youth
members, both at their work place and
at a union level. Through an effective
organisation of the youths, the MUT can
assemble its future. Therefore, the
Committee understands the importance
of empowerment among its young
members, were educators at school and
beyond can spark motivation that results
into serious commitment. Organisation
also emphasizes a common interest that
could easily prove to be a major factor
when youths are projecting their voice
especially since I, as Chairperson, and
Dirk Muscat, as Deputy Chairperson, sit
on the General Council. It is significant
that such a Committee, which identifies
the youth workers as its driving force,
ensures that young members’ issues are
reflected in any decision and policy
making.
The
Youth
Committee
recognizes the need of bringing forward
important issues to critically debate and
constructively propose other influential
issues that could be beneficial to all
teaching grades.
Bringing about a change in the way the
Youth Committee is organised is
certainly a hurdle we must overcome
within the first few months of this term.
Another priority on the agenda is to
widen cooperation with other youth
organisations, both political and
apolitical, and youth sections of various
Trade-Unions and other Teachers’
Unions within Europe. I am more than
confident that this new Committee has
what it takes to spark a new era that
evolves around a youthful dimension.

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